


A life well lived

by MysticXMythic



Series: Gray's Story [4]
Category: Code Vein (Video Game), Dark Souls III, RWBY
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:42:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27204016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticXMythic/pseuds/MysticXMythic
Summary: Sorry to put another book into the series everyone. I just felt that the two previous endings weren't quite right. Hopefully it isn't too awkward to get through this one. I hope the second song isn't too emotional.
Series: Gray's Story [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1663945





	A life well lived

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry to put another book into the series everyone. I just felt that the two previous endings weren't quite right. Hopefully it isn't too awkward to get through this one. I hope the second song isn't too emotional.

_Edward's Perspective  
  
  
_ The first thing I realized as I came to was a high amount of dust in the air. A fact that; despite not really needing to breathe, caused me to have a severe coughing fit as I looked around my immediate area to try and find the helmet that got knocked off my head. I found it lying a bit away, so I crawled over to it _  
_and after grabbing it ;plunked it down with a dull thunking sound.  
  
  
"Any-" I coughed mid sentence "Anyone there? Hello?"  
  
  
I looked at the comms unit on the side of the helmet and promptly tossed it after seeing the ruination. I blinked and a small interface appeared in my vision. Scrolling through it, I saw that most of my essential systems were still active along with a couple of my extra ones like emergency comms. As i activated them, I desperately hoped someone was nearby.  
  
  
"Hello? This is Edward Chromian, leader of Vanguard Assault Unit Equinox. Can anyone hear me?" Once the message was finished, i waited....... and waited.  
  
"Yeah, I hear you Ed * _coughing*_ You ok?" It was Yang.  
  
"I'm alright. Equipment is toast though, and some of the built in stuff is still coming on. I have short range comms but no map or team roster" I slowly pushed myself up only to fall forward "Auto stabilizers are out at the moment too."  
  
"Yeesh, that's rough _*grunting and the sound of stressed metal*_ my map says that my sister and Jaune are near you. I'll try seeing if i can get anyone else on the line and meet you by them to lend a hand" came her response as she untangled herself from....something  
  
  
I cycled the revolving chamber in my right arm and felt my aura flow through the earth crystal. My hand began glowing an odd black color and I brought it down in a chopping motion, forming a small earthen spire. I punched at it's base then carefully picked it up and used it as a cane to stand and start making my way towards Ruby and Jaune. After some time stumbling; I felt myself slowly regain balance, eventually being able to walk un-assisted as I approached what looked like a crashed Bullhead.  
  
  
"Ruby, you here?" I shouted.  
  
"I'm here and alright" came Ruby's response. "Jaune healed us both but we're trapped in here"  
  
There was some shuffling before Jaune spoke "We got lucky to come out with some scrapes, cuts and bruises"  
  
I sighed "Well, it's good to hear that you guys are alright. Yang should be here soon. Gonna see what I can do to get you out of there."  
  
  
I squatted rotating the cylinder in my left arm so that both had earth crystals in place and i flicked my hands down slightly, causing rock claws to form on my fingers. I dug my fingers into to the shell of the aircraft and ever so slowly lifted it up from around them. Eventually there was enough space for them to crawl out. Once they were both out I set it down, just in time for Yang to show up with a slightly dazed looking Oscar and a slightly battered but still smiling Neo in tow.  
  
  
"Awesome, you got them out" Yang said as she hugged Ruby.   
  
  
During this, Jaune went over and started healing Oscar then moved on to Neo.  
  
  
"Alright everyone" I started "we should probably plan out how we move forward."  
  
Ruby stepped forward "Jaune, Neo, Oscar, and I could go out and look for injured. Treat and stabilize those that we can here and get a list figured out for those to take care of back at Atlas."  
  
Neo nodded and signed quickly "Triaging patients will be a bit difficult but we'll manage"  
  
"Alright." I handed them a small case "Any minor injuries you can heal easily, try and get them capable of going around to find others that are injured. This case has a flare gun and multiple flares. Only use them for emergencies if possible." Oscar nodded and I looked to Yang "let's see if we can find any of the others"  
  
  
Yang nodded and together her and I walked off while our 4 man medical team went off in search of those needing aid. After some time, we came across Louis and the others that had been brought to our world. They all looked a little battered, especially Murasame, Eva, and Mia. While they were getting up and dusting themselves off, Allison looked up.  
  
  
"Flare! Looks to be maybe 4 to 6 kilometers off" she shouted  
  
  
I quickly turned to where a red flare steadily climbed higher in to the sky before reaching its peak and beginning a lazy descent. A red flare was for emergency cases. What on earth had happened?  
  
  
"Quick someone pass me a helmet." I said as Yakumo threw his over to me and I slapped it down on my head and activated comms. "Medical team what's the emergency?"  
  
Through the headset of whoever answered I could hear soft wailing. "It's Gray! He's down and nothing they're trying is working!" It was Oscar. But what did he mean Gray wasn't healing. I'd seen him take semi truck to the everything and get up like nothing happened.  
  
Suddenly I heard Amara respond "I'm on my way with some others! Ed, you should probably do the same with whoever is capable."  
  
"Right" I responded before taking off the helmet and tossing it back to Yakumo. "Gray is down. He isn't healing, not by himself or with medical intervention" At my words everyone visibly stiffened  
  
"But how?" Jack said "I thought he was effectively Immortal?"  
  
"Regardless, I'm making my way to him. You can follow if you want." I said sharply as started sprinting off towards where I had seen the flare come up from.  
  
  
  
 _Neo's Perspective_  
  
  
  
I searched through my med kit with shaking hands; my breathing only getting more shaky as i tried to figure out what I could do. I had used all my gauze and field dressings, I had cleaned the wounds and sterilized them and yet..... and yet......... This kid's aura healing; which i had heard brought someone practically from the brink of death, ........... was doing nothing. I looked over at him with tears in my eyes. Gray laid there, covered in so many wounds that it was astounding he was conscious......and that was only the ones i had treated. I dont know what happened during the month or so he was gone but when he came back he looked and acted older......... and every part of him save his hands and face had been so heavily scarred i could hardly believe he could even move.  
  
  
"N" I perked up and looked at him "Neo" he said softly. I quickly went over to him as he opened his eye, showing the gentle sapphire but now with a mixed background of red and white "H-hey sis" he grinned slightly as a small stream of blood ran down from the corner of his mouth  
  
I smiled weakly and waved to him before signing "we're trying to heal you up. soon you should be right as rain"  
  
He chuckled before coughing "I..... I dont think im gonna make it this time Neo.......... It feels different now" he lifted his hand which glowed a soft white. "I think....... I think the deed is done"  
  
  
My eyes widened "Don't" I fumbled slightly "Don't say that. Please"  
  
He laughed "he-hey. don't cry." he lightly grabbed my hand as he said this "i'm happy to be in good company at this moment." his eyes teared up as he started laughing almost brokenly "I've been so worried, so fearful that ill see it again. I'm happy i wont." he pulled his hand back a bit as a small black flame flickered into existence in his palm before it split forming one in mine. It quickly turned a bright white "heh, despite my corrupting of it you still made it pure once again" I looked to him. "You'll need that..... To get....... my home........ room" he let out a soft sigh as I watched his vitals flatline. Tears filled my eyes as I hugged him tightly while silently weeping.  
  
  
  
 _Louis' Perspective_  
  
  
  
By the time we arrived, we knew we were to late. Gray was laying on his back while the girl........Neo....... was hugging him like a giant teddy bear.  
  
  
"Oh......oh god" Ed said as i turned to look at him. His oddly rainbow colored eyes were still slightly bloodshot. "He...........he's actually gone.........."  
  
  
I looked at Allison, Yakumo, Davis, Mia, Jack, Eva, Murasame, and Evora............ Like me they didn't want to say anything.......  
  
  
I turned quickly at someone gasping "He's disintegrating" Ruby said sadly. Sure enough he seemed to be slowly breaking down into dust. Once it was done all that remained of the titan was a pile of ashes and a large purple crystal.  
  
"What's that?" Yang said as Neo moved to grab it.   
  
I grabbed her wrist. "You dont want to touch it...... That's a vestige........ I don't know how he made it but if you touch it......bad things could happen"  
  
  
Neo stared at me before reaching out and picking it up with her other hand.........Nothing seemed to happen.   
  
  
She looked at me "What is it?" she signed  
  
"It's his memories" I said  
  
She paused for a moment "Can I see them?"  
  
I looked back at Allison and Evora who both nodded and stepped forward. Hesitantly I responded "Sure you can..... Just.... Be prepared."  
  
  
The small woman nodded as she passed the crystal to Allison and Evora. Slowly Allison's good eye turned from its usual purple color to a brilliant blue and darkness enveloped us.  
  
  
  
 **OOoOooooOooOOOooO  
**  
  
 _  
Neo's Perspective  
[(this is the song used when in a vestige in Code Vein. feel free to turn it on if you choose.)](https://youtu.be/qO_-b_1VWEk)  
  
  
  
  
_I opened my eyes and saw a vast nothingness. Looking down, I was surprised to see a cobblestone path, not to different from the kind in Vale. To my left sat what looked to be a path, and behind was........well......... everyone that was there, minus him. Slowly I began to follow the path; the others doing the same, until we came across a scene of a man next to a dumpster.  
  
  
"Ire" he said "I'm going to teach you all I can about survival. I can't stand the thought of you fending for yourself but I can feel myself going."  
  
There was a quiet whimpering "Dad........Please don't......Please don't go like mom did" The voice was incredibly young.  
  
The man pulled out a familiar knife... Fang... and handed it to the young boy "All things must eventually end son. That's the way of the world. You must make the most of the time you have."  
  
  
As the last sentence was said, the scene faded. Another path slowly built itself and we continued along it to the next area where we saw a large man with a flashlight. The scene was in an alleyway.  
  
  
The man reached to his shoulder and grabbed whet looked to be part of a radio "This is Officer Jameson, reporting in at the scene of the disturbance."  
He let go of the unit as one of the trashcans rattled a bit "The hell?" He took a couple steps closer and tapped the can with a foot getting a growl in response. He snorted and grabbed the unit again "Chief, I know we do disturbances but if this is just a random dog skulking in the trash; i'm gonna be upset." He laughed to himself as he knocked over the can. Out of it spilled; not a do, but a young child that stood on all fours and growled at the man, oversized canine teeth gleaming in the wane light "Holy shit it's a feral faunus kid!" The cop shouted as he pulled out a baton and shined a light on the kid. His ashy hair was matted and looked as if it had never been washed. Far more unsettling was the red glow that came from under that hair. The officer dropped his light, the clack startling the kid into hiding, allowing Jameson to quickly grab the radio "Chief, you're gonna want to come see this!"  
  
  
Once again the scene faded to black and a new path for us to journey along built itself beneath us, leading to a snowy platform. The next scene however was one I knew. A tall man on a path during winter time, not to far from him a girl sat slumped against a tree.  
  
  
"What the?" rang Gray's familiar voice, as the sounds of his footsteps crunching the snow started then sped up and suddenly stopped as he got to the tree. "But how? How are you here? ........... and... why?" these words were whispered and soon after he draped his long coat over her.......me.... then wrapped.........us?...... up in it before walking off as the scene faded to black  
  
A wooden path appeared and the sight we saw at the end was him surrounded by empty bottles with everyone's weapons on the table in a heap and the only sound we heard was muttering broken by occasional sobbing.  
  
Once again a path built before us and once again we walked along it to the next scene which sat on a earthen mound.  
  
  
This scene was uncomfortably quiet. Gray stood there in a clearing with black gravestones in front of him. Flowers were set out in front of each of them. For sometime the only sound was the wind. After what felt like an hour he spoke "I promise.......... I will fix this...... I will do right by all of you." In the distance an odd roar could be heard. It sounded unnatural. He turned and walked away as the scene flashed black then suddenly he was sitting at a workbench in a room with what looked like a genie.  
  
"You look well old man" she; and it definitely was a she, said "Though I guess being eternally locked at an age will do that"  
  
"That's rich coming from you. You're at least a millennium older than I am." he responded in an almost joking manner  
  
"That makes you, what? Five million six hundred twenty six? At least it isn't spring this time" she grinned as she said this  
  
"Seven" he sounded almost regretful now "Five million six hundred twenty seven. My birthday was yesterday...... And please don't remind me.... I still feel bad about that* The scene faded to black  
  
  
The path slowly came into being but before we could continue, Edward stopped us.  
  
  
"Hold on, how old did he say he was?" he said  
  
Coco looked to him with grey eyes "You didn't mishear.......... He was over five million years old"  
  
"But, how? I thought it was linked to the world being at peace" Ed's rainbow eyes locked with her's "So how did he get there?"  
  
Coco looked away "He couldn't get peace to happen...... Then one day everyone died except for him."  
  
  
She went forward to the next area but didn't fully step on to the cracked and dry dirt platform. Eventually we went and joined her for this next memory. Immediately we beheld the newcomers at the end of a fight with what looked to be a large beast of grimm. Except instead of dissolving into black mist as normal; when the mist cleared, Gray was down on his side.  
  
  
He slowly pushed himself up "The relic" he said "you need to get it out"  
  
"But how" Allison said in the memory "You don't fall to ash like us revenants"  
  
He looked up at her "The reduce me to ash if you must" was all he said as the memory ended.  
  
  
Our journey to the next memory was slow but when we got there the sight was unexpected. It was when Gray came back, but something was wrong. when he came back he had teared up a little......... Here he had almost broken down entirely and was sobbing as he hugged the me in the memory. Eventually it faded to black.  
  
  
We started to move forward, but halfway across the bridge I stopped the others and looked back at the previous platform, where the revenants still stood. "Are you guys coming?" Ren asked  
  
Allison looked up at him "We..... We already know what you'll see next........." was all she said  
  
Yang butted in "And that would be?"  
  
"His suffering" Evora said softly  
  
"Well....... I don't know what he went through, but standing around wont help us learn that and it wont get us out of here" Weiss said rather sharply, resulting in me nudging her.  
  
Ruby chimed in "We're going to keep going..... You're welcome to join us if you want"  
  
  
As a group we continued forward to a platform of scorched earth, Louis and the rest deciding to join us after a bit. Though the memory had started; something we could tell by the sound of rain an thunder, it was hard to see anything. After some time, the sound of a transport ship could be heard and a light could be seen sweeping across the area. Bodies of grimm lay everywhere yet weren't dissolving. As the ship landed, it's light fell on a single standing figure. Around them laid piled of ash and multiple tarps.  
  
  
A medic jumped out of the ship "We made it here as quick as we could! Where are your wounded?"  
  
The figure looked over their shoulder, a red glow emanating from behind their hair. They strode passed the medic as a bright flash of lightning reveled that the tarps covered numerous bodies, each with weapons laying next to them to signify their identity, something shared by the piles of ash. The image was seared into their minds eye as they heard Gray speak, with a voice weighed down by grief an the final remains of rage "There's no one left........... they were gone hours ago..." and the memory faded to black.  
  
We all stood there for a moment processing what we had heard, when Jaune spoke up "He came back.....to try again? What happened?"  
  
I lifted my hands shakily and signed to them "He tried to protect us all...........He-" I sank to my knees alarming the others as I tried to fight back the tears. It took a long time before I was ready to get back up but as soon as I did i strode to the next area with an energy of wanting to get this finished quickly, forcing the others to catch up.  
  
  
The next area we saw was a large shrine, and we could faintly hear the sound of a hammer on an anvil, along with flames. In the center of the place sat a fire with a sword stabbed into it and next to it stood Gray, his armored long coat gone and in it's place he wore a suit of seemingly reshaped armor, looking like a a knight from a time long passed. He lifted his hand to it and seemingly vanished.  
  
"Good luck, champion." we turned to see a woman in dark blue robes with long white hair done in a braid, her eyes hidden behind an odd mask. She seemed sullen "Your journey will likely be difficult, but I know you can persevere."  
  
  
The scene faded slowly as another path appeared this on leading to what looked like a chapel, where we immediately saw Gray get thrown backwards into a wall while before him stood a woman with two scythes in hand, a full one in the right with a blade covered in black flame and a half length one with a blade coated in ice. Around them danced many flames from unknown sources. Gray got up, his distorted armor replaced with a strange blackish armor; that danced on shimmering a pale gold color when the light hit it. It was worn over what looked to be a thick set of canvas clothes with mail at the joints and over it he wore a dirty white cloak. Once he was fully upright, he readied his sword, watching it slowly get coated in black flames to match her own.  
  
"Please Friede, teach me your ways. I may yet be able to use them to protect those I hold dear" As he finished the two of them dashed towards each other; the scene fading to black with the sound of their weapons clashing.  
  
  
Moving to the next scene we saw all of us training, Gray using techniques and some equipment he must have picked up in that strange old world though he was now back to wearing his long coat, though up it's sleeves he wore strange wooden gauntlets with odd half sphere blue gems on the backs of his hands and what looked to be at least one odd fabric pouch along the underside of his forearms. The scene soon faded and wooden planks and books built our next bridge leading to an office of some sort.  
  
  
The scene showed Gray standing over a desk before knocking everything off of it "Damnit! I was so close this time! I was so close!" He shouted and the scene ended abruptly..  
  
  
Behind it stretched a cobblestone path and at it's end stood Gray with Louis. Before them sat 33 grave stones.   
  
  
Louis looked up at him "Are you sure you're ready to try again?"  
  
Gray laughed "Of course not........ I wasnt ready starting over the first time......... doing it a fourth time isn't any easier." He walked over to everyone else with Louis as a black glass door opened "I hope i dont have to do it again......... after nearly 20 million years, one gets tired" He grabbed the door and opened it bringing the scene to a close.  
  
  
Oscar spoke first "Oh Gray.......... Had I.....We......." He seemed to fold in on himself and move with the rest of us slowly to another earthen platform.  
  
The scene had only been moments ago. Right as Gray passed however, everything slowed down. "I don't know if any of you will hear this, but thank you. It's because of all of you that I managed to do what I always wanted. I learned to protect others, I learned to make friends, and most of all I learned to accept what I am" His voice was soft and almost otherworldly. "Thanks to you..... I'll finally be home." and with those last words the scene faded to black but so did everything else.  
  
  
  
 **OOooOooOooOooOoo  
  
  
  
** I was the first to wake up as a search ship landed nearby. I got up and waved them over to us, while the others woke up and we slowly got in to one of the many ships now landing to pick up everyone.  
  
  
 _Days later_  
[(sorry for the sad song. felt it appropriate for this scene)](https://youtu.be/a0tVkjrw6sA)  
  
  
Eva and Weiss stood on a small stage singing. The song; despite it's sadder undertones, was surprisingly upbeat and could in a way be considered celebratory. Despite this, all of us present were dressed in black. There was no denying that it was a funeral service, albeit a small one. I stood with my face cast down, a purple crystal clutched in my hand. We kept it short and when it was done, we heard a bullhead landing and when we turned, we saw the headmasters of the schools walk out.  
  
  
Ironwood approached us "I....I'm sorry for your loss-" he started "now that we've achieved peace, It seems the perfect time to move forward with his plan" He looked back to the other headmasters and two of them stepped forward one carrying a sword and the other carrying a crown. Ironwood looked back to us "We'll continue this back at Atlas, when you're all ready."  
  
  
  
 _A week later  
  
  
  
_ We stood at the edge of a forest, on the outside of a fence. The twin gods had been kinder than expected; allowing us a chance to go back to his world..... the first version of it at least, and allowing atlas to keep a slightly pared down version of the staff to keep it in the skies. I looked at the gate latch, seeing it covered in a layer of ice. I lifted my hand and willed the flame I was gifted to appear, using it to melt the ice. One it was gone, Coco opened the gate and we slowly filtered in, some lingering in the graveyard while others went to the house. Inside we saw a workshop where nearly everyone's weapons sat, looking maintained and possibly upgraded. For a split second I remembered his words and went to what looked like the only bedroom. The bed was still freshly made and on it sat a small box, a leather jacket, and Hush; but it looked strange. Curiously I picked up Hush and saw that it had been integrated with Melodic Cudgel. I smiled a bit at that and picked up the jacket which had a small tag on it saying 'Hope it fits'. It's once glossy black color had softened and been sun-bleached to a warm grey that still faintly glistened yet had no cracking. I slipped it on, feeling it's subtle weight and minimal resistance to movement from years of wear. The sleeves were a bit long and the bottom of the zipper sat just at my hips. I smiled and rolled up the sleeves then opened the box seeing a bunch of scrolls with another note reading 'To help you with the flame.' I picked up the box, grabbed my new weapon that I was going to rename, and walked out of the room.   
  
  
Yang saw me and smiled "It fits you pretty well, better than it di when we first met him." she laughs as she finishes the sentence and i quietly laugh with her before we all went outside to grab the others before heading back home.  
  
  
  
 _Meanwhile  
Somewhere  
Gray's Perspective  
  
  
  
_This feeling....... I felt light and energized yet hollow.......... it was familiar, but this time..... this was different. There was no rushing tingling feeling akin to fire washing over me. I opened my eyes and saw nothing but white around me; a familiar and empty void where I only recalled two others being.   
  
  
I pushed myself up "Hello? Any one here?" I called out to the nothingness  
  
"We're both here Gray" a voice responded as two figured appear; one taller and orange, the other shorter and purple. "We always have been and we've seen what you've done"  
  
I kneeled before them "I.....I'm sorry for any wrongdoings that I have committed."  
  
The older brother approached me "You've done what we tasked you with; perhaps not in the way we expected, but you did it nonetheless."  
  
  
I looked up, unsure what to say  
  
  
The younger brother approached next "We would like to present you with a choice." he lifted both his hands and two portals appeared. Through the one on the right was a grass covered hill and through the one on the left was another bright almost void. "The portal on your right, a chance to begin again. a new world, no one will know you. You'd keep your powers, but if you choose to die, you will. You'd no longer continually revive if you died, and you'd have a maximum of one millennia. After that you would be sent to the afterlife."  
  
I looked between the two portals "and the other?" I asked  
  
"You'd go straight to the afterlife" he responded  
  
  
I got up and looked into both of them. In the left portal, I saw sunshine and them.... all of them, enjoying their .....lives?...... on the other side of the veil. In the right, I could see what looked like a small town or city; a large building that looked like a mall being it's most obvious landmark. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes as I stepped into the right portal.  
  
  
  
 **OOoooOOooOOoOoOO**  
  
  
  
I felt a slightly cool piece of metal over part of my face, and when I opened my eyes, I was up on the hill from the portal; the left side of my vision tinted red from the lens in my mask. I felt a weight on my shoulders and a chain around my neck. I pulled the chain out and saw three rings on it, a necklace I hadn't worn in a while. Putting it back under my shirt, I looked down and saw my clothes and long coat had been patched up from the battle, and I saw the cross-chest strap of my sword scabbard along with the the straps of a backpack. Shrugging off the pack I saw that it was my camping pack with its travel cooking/ eating kit cleaned and carefully strapped to the outside for when I was travelling or on a mission As well as a heavy and slightly bulging burlap sack. Opening up the pack, inside it had some spare clothes; including a couple sets for sleeping, my hygienics bag which looked to have a new bar of soap as well as new shampoo, toothpaste and deodorant. Finally at the bottom I saw an odd semi resistant bag the seemed to have more clothes inside, my rather large journal, and two wooden bracers. I zipped up my pack and slung it back on my shoulder; the sleeping kit of a pad, blanket, and pillow mounted on the bottom noiselessly thumping my lower back and the sack strung on the outside making a soft clanking as it resettled, as I eyed the sheathe for my knife momentarily before pulling it off and tucking it into a side pocket of the pack.  
  
  
I looked to the small city and said to myself, almost hoping to pierce that veil "I'm sorry everyone...... I miss you all dearly ....... but i want to know...... I need to know if i'd still be the same kind of man without that quest to push me along" I stayed silent before sighing "Well, couldn't hurt to see if I can get more pages for the journal." I said to no one other than myself then started towards the mall.   
  
  
  
_Years later  
_ _City of Atlas_ _  
_ _Neo's Perspective  
  
  
  
_ I pushed myself back from the desk I was at and took off my glasses before pinching the bridge of my nose. I thankfully only needed the glasses to reduce eyestrain but that didn't mean they were comfortable or that the computer work didn't eventually end up hurting my eyes. I looked up to the calendar on my desk and smiled, seeing that I after today I had a week off. I looked back to the screen moved the mouse to the send button, clicking it to send the file to my supervisor. Once I finished, i turned off my computer and slipped on my jacket before picking up Hushed Melody, as it was and still is raining outside. I walked out of the building and walked through the town center, taking a moment to look at the monument that had been put up. Cast in polished steel was a statue of Gray that had been specially commissioned by Ed and given the ok by Ironwood. I smiled as I looked down to my free hand and watched as a small white flame appeared in my palm. Looking back up I took a deep breath and calmed my nerves, trying to remember how to do it.  
  
  
Finally after some I smiled as quietly and slowly "Thank you Gray. For everything" left my lips.  
  
  
I turned and walked away, stopping to look back when a soft breeze blew across my cheek. At the foot of the statue laid a single white rose that wasn't there earlier. 

**Author's Note:**

> To end this, I'd just like to say.... thank you Monty. You've created an incredible universe that has enraptured so many. I hope you rest in peace.
> 
> https://cdn.quotesgram.com/img/49/7/1125531763-dwiqiLR.jpg


End file.
